


The Bug Thing

by slytherinfixation



Series: Jack & John [7]
Category: Stargate Atlantis, Stargate SG-1
Genre: Gen, Iratus Bug Retrovirus, Iratus-mutated Sheppard, Jack O'Neill is John Sheppard's Father
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-11
Updated: 2017-08-11
Packaged: 2018-12-14 01:15:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 878
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11772420
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/slytherinfixation/pseuds/slytherinfixation
Summary: From back on Earth, Jack deals with the consequences of John being infected by the retrovirus.





	The Bug Thing

After finding out the truth, Jack is almost obsessive about keeping up to date on the Atlantis mission.

They don’t hear about what happened on the Daedalus until after the fact, but he still reads about his son _almost flying himself into a star_ with a pit of dread in his stomach. Most of the news after that is rather mundane – the amount of times AR1 almost ends up dead off world quickly mounting up to match that of SG1 in their first few years.

And, then, of course, they receive word that John is in the infirmary recovering from _turning into a bug_.

He finds out when Atlantis dials Earth for their weekly check-in and Doctor Beckett requests a private video conference.

There’s something about the expression on his face that has Jack asking, “How bad is it?”

“The Colonel was exposed to the Iratus Bug Retrovirus,” Beckett admits. “We managed to find a cure and he’s returning to his normal colour and brain function.”

There’s an ominous pause.

“But?”

“It’s been five days, General,” he says a little sombrely. “And I’m beginning to suspect that there are some side-effects that aren’t ever going to fade.”

“Such as?” Jack asks warily.

“Strength at least twice that of a normal human, lasting physical endurance, oversensitivity to light and sound –“

Jack holds up a hand, “I get it, doc.”

Beckett looks at him sombrely from the other end of the computer screen.

Jack rubs a hand down his face, “Who else knows?”

“No-one,” Beckett admits. “Being the Military Commander has its benefits. As soon as he was lucid, the Colonel requested that all his medical needs – including all tests – be carried out by me.”

Jack looks at the other man and knows they’re on the same page even before the doctor spells it out for him.

“Dr Lam told me you’d been by the infirmary,” Beckett said softly. “I thought if anyone could protect him…”

“I’ll do what I can.”

What he can do turns out to be quite a lot. Between the two of them, they manage to avoid anyone else finding out and the only records of Colonel Sheppard’s true resting potential – for medical purposes only – are kept where they will never be found.

John remains in a private room in the infirmary for three weeks, no longer blue or functioning on a bug brain. Instead, he spends that time – with Beckett’s help – learning how to pretend to be normal.

The truth of the whole affair is a secret that Carson Beckett takes to his grave.

*

Jack waits two months after things have settled down around the whole _bug thing_ before putting in a request for a private video conference with Colonel Sheppard.

“Sir,” he greets when the screen flickers to life.

For a moment, Jack can only stare in surprised jealousy. Spread out behind Sheppard is an entire wall of glass windows, displaying a view of first the city of Atlantis, and then the wide-open ocean.

“Wow,” Jack says instead of a greeting. “Pictures really don’t do it justice.”

Sheppard glances over his shoulder in surprise and when he turns back, he’s smiling with just one corner of his mouth, as though it’s an expression he’s trying to hide.

“No, they don’t,” Sheppard agrees.

“I’m glad to see you’re all healed up,” Jack says a little haltingly.

He knows immediately that Sheppard knows he knows – both about the bug thing and about the _Father_ thing.

“It’s nice not being blue any more,” is all he says.

Jack nods, “I hear you’ve managed to upset Colonel Caldwell.”

Sheppard visibly winces, “He was unhappy that I reversed all of his changes when I came to my senses.”

“He never should have tried to take over in the first place,” Jack said and he’d said the same thing to Caldwell when he’d arrived back on Earth. “Though I hear your new XO is something of a fan.”

There’s a flash of a grin that’s gone as soon as it appeared, “Oh?”

“Apparently he defended your honour rather valiantly,” Jack said, a little amused by how much the news seems to have pleased the younger man. “Though he did so in such a way that Caldwell couldn’t even properly reprimand him.”

“Sounds like Lorne,” Sheppard said a little wryly.

“I think I picked well there.”

Sheppard’s eyebrow quirks, “He was your choice, Sir?”

“I’ve known the man almost five years,” Jack admitted. “He seemed like your kind of Officer.”

Sheppard looks impressed, “So far so good, Sir.”

“Glad to hear it.”

It’s followed by an awkward silence where they just kind of stare at each other.

Jack clears his throat, “So, ah, have you had a chance to look over that mission report I sent?”

“Yeah,” Sheppard said, his eyes a little wary. “Thanks.”

There was silence again, interrupted by a warning beep on the computer followed by a notification that there was only a minute of wormhole left.

“I’d better let you go,” Jack said.

Sheppard nodded, “Sir.”

Then he reached forward and terminated the connection without saying anything else.

“Colonel,” Jack said to the black screen.

Then he sighed and stood from his chair in the pentagon, deciding it was time for his third cup of coffee anyway.

**Author's Note:**

> Sheppard having left over effects from the retrovirus is one of my favourite headcanons of all time :)


End file.
